Classic Golden Cornbread (Print Version)

Classic American quick bread with golden crust and tender crumb. Perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors for chili, barbecue, or soups.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
10 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
11 - 2 tablespoons honey

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch cast-iron skillet with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, oil, and honey until fully combined and smooth.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix as this will result in tough cornbread.
05 - Pour batter into the prepared pan or skillet. Smooth the top with a spatula to ensure even baking.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The honey-kissed version strikes that magical balance between savory and sweet, while the straight sugar version leans traditional
  • That golden crust you get from a hot skillet or pan is worth every bit of effort and makes each bite feel special
02 -
  • Hot pans are non-negotiable for that restaurant-quality crust, I learned this the hard way after too many batches with pale, soft edges
  • The window between just right and overbaked is small, start checking at 20 minutes because an extra five can turn tender into dry
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients incorporate more easily, so pull your eggs and milk out while you're preheating the oven
  • Cast iron holds heat beautifully and gives you that incredible crust, but if you don't have one, a standard metal baking pan still produces wonderful results
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